Dhammapada · Chapter 18 of 26 · verses 235 to 255
Removing the stains of the mind, bit by bit, before life ends.
Malavagga
Awaiting review by a scholar of this tradition. Original texts are public domain; the plain meanings and notes are written by IndiaDigital and are being checked. We describe what each tradition teaches, in its own terms, and never rank faiths. Report a correction
In this chapter the Buddha speaks of the stains or impurities that spoil a life, and of ignorance as the worst stain of all. He urges listeners, who stand near death like a withered leaf, to make an island of themselves and strive wisely. Purification is described as gradual, like a smith refining silver bit by bit. The chapter warns against seeing only others' faults while hiding one's own, lists the harm of breaking the five precepts, and reminds readers that all conditioned things are impermanent while the awakened are unshaken.
The mindEthicsWisdomDiligence
The commentary tells of a brahmin who noticed monks' robes getting wet in dewy grass as they dressed, so he cleared the grass.
Seeing robes soiled by earth, he spread sand; seeing monks troubled by sun and rain, he built a shelter, then a hall.
When he told the Buddha how his good work had grown step by step, the Buddha spoke verse 239.
The verse teaches that the wise remove their own impurities little by little, like a smith refining silver.
Paṇḍupalāsova dānisi,Yamapurisāpi ca te upaṭṭhitā;Uyyogamukhe ca tiṭṭhasi,Pātheyyampi ca te na vijjati.
पण्डुपलासोव दानिसि,यमपुरिसापि च ते उपट्ठिता ।उय्योगमुखे च तिट्ठसि,पाथेय्यम्पि च ते न विज्जति ॥
Today you’re like a withered leaf, Yama’s men await you. You stand at the departure gates, yet you have no supplies for the road.
So karohi dīpamattano,Khippaṁ vāyama paṇḍito bhava;Niddhantamalo anaṅgaṇo,Dibbaṁ ariyabhūmiṁ upehisi.
सो करोहि दीपमत्तनो,खिप्पं वायम पण्डितो भव ।निद्धन्तमलो अनङ्गणो,दिब्बं अरियभूमिं उपेहिसि ॥
Make an island of yourself! Swiftly strive, learn to be wise! Purged of stains, flawless, you’ll go to the heavenly realm of the noble ones.
Upanītavayo ca dānisi,Sampayātosi yamassa santikaṁ;Vāso te natthi antarā,Pātheyyampi ca te na vijjati.
उपनीतवयो च दानिसि,सम्पयातोसि यमस्स सन्तिकं ।वासो ते नत्थि अन्तरा,पाथेय्यम्पि च ते न विज्जति ॥
You’ve journeyed the stages of life, and now you set out to meet Yama. Along the way there’s nowhere to stay, yet you have no supplies for the road.
So karohi dīpamattano,Khippaṁ vāyama paṇḍito bhava;Niddhantamalo anaṅgaṇo,Na punaṁ jātijaraṁ upehisi.
सो करोहि दीपमत्तनो,खिप्पं वायम पण्डितो भव ।निद्धन्तमलो अनङ्गणो,न पुनं जातिजरं उपेहिसि ॥
Make an island of yourself! Swiftly strive, learn to be wise! Purged of stains, flawless, you’ll not come again to rebirth and old age.
Anupubbena medhāvī,thokaṁ thokaṁ khaṇe khaṇe;Kammāro rajatasseva,niddhame malamattano.
अनुपुब्बेन मेधावी,थोकं थोकं खणे खणे ।कम्मारो रजतस्सेव,निद्धमे मलमत्तनो ॥
A smart person would purge their own stains gradually, bit by bit, moment by moment, like a smith smelting silver.
Ayasāva malaṁ samuṭṭhitaṁ,Tatuṭṭhāya tameva khādati;Evaṁ atidhonacārinaṁ,Sāni kammāni nayanti duggatiṁ.
अयसाव मलं समुट्ठितं,ततुट्ठाय तमेव खादति ।एवं अतिधोनचारिनं,सानि कम्मानि नयन्ति दुग्गतिं ॥
It is the rust born on the iron that eats away the place it arose. And so it is their own deeds that lead the overly-ascetic to a bad place.
Asajjhāyamalā mantā,anuṭṭhānamalā gharā;Malaṁ vaṇṇassa kosajjaṁ,pamādo rakkhato malaṁ.
असज्झायमला मन्ता,अनुट्ठानमला घरा ।मलं वण्णस्स कोसज्जं,पमादो रक्खतो मलं ॥
Not rehearsing is the stain of hymns. The stain of houses is neglect. Laziness is the stain of beauty. A guard’s stain is negligence.
Malitthiyā duccaritaṁ,maccheraṁ dadato malaṁ;Malā ve pāpakā dhammā,asmiṁ loke paramhi ca.
मलित्थिया दुच्चरितं,मच्छेरं ददतो मलं ।मला वे पापका धम्मा,अस्मिं लोके परम्हि च ॥
Misconduct is a woman’s stain. A giver’s stain is stinginess. Bad qualities are a stain in this world and the next.
Tato malā malataraṁ,avijjā paramaṁ malaṁ;Etaṁ malaṁ pahantvāna,nimmalā hotha bhikkhavo.
ततो मला मलतरं,अविज्जा परमं मलं ।एतं मलं पहन्त्वान,निम्मला होथ भिक्खवो ॥
But a worse stain than these is ignorance, the worst stain of all. Having given up that stain, be without stains, mendicants!
Sujīvaṁ ahirikena,kākasūrena dhaṁsinā;Pakkhandinā pagabbhena,saṅkiliṭṭhena jīvitaṁ.
सुजीवं अहिरिकेन,काकसूरेन धंसिना ।पक्खन्दिना पगब्भेन,सङ्किलिट्ठेन जीवितं ॥
Life is easy for the shameless. With all the rude courage of a crow, they live pushy, rude, and corrupt.
Hirīmatā ca dujjīvaṁ,niccaṁ sucigavesinā;Alīnenāppagabbhena,suddhājīvena passatā.
हिरीमता च दुज्जीवं,निच्चं सुचिगवेसिना ।अलीनेनाप्पगब्भेन,सुद्धाजीवेन पस्सता ॥
Life is hard for the conscientious, always seeking purity, neither clinging nor rude, pure of livelihood and discerning.
Yo pāṇamatipāteti,musāvādañca bhāsati;Loke adinnamādiyati,paradārañca gacchati.
यो पाणमतिपातेति,मुसावादञ्च भासति ।लोके अदिन्नमादियति,परदारञ्च गच्छति ॥
Take anyone in this world who kills living creatures, speaks falsely, steals, commits adultery,
Surāmerayapānañca,yo naro anuyuñjati;Idheva meso lokasmiṁ,mūlaṁ khaṇati attano.
सुरामेरयपानञ्च,यो नरो अनुयुञ्जति ।इधेव मेसो लोकस्मिं,मूलं खणति अत्तनो ॥
and indulges in drinking beer and wine. Right here they dig up the root of their own self.
Evaṁ bho purisa jānāhi,pāpadhammā asaññatā;Mā taṁ lobho adhammo ca,ciraṁ dukkhāya randhayuṁ.
एवं भो पुरिस जानाहि,पापधम्मा असञ्ञता ।मा तं लोभो अधम्मो च,चिरं दुक्खाय रन्धयुं ॥
Know this, my man: they are unrestrained and wicked. Don’t let that greed and unrighteousness inflict pain on you for long.
Dadāti ve yathāsaddhaṁ,yathāpasādanaṁ jano;Tattha yo ca maṅku bhavati,paresaṁ pānabhojane;Na so divā vā rattiṁ vā,samādhimadhigacchati.
ददाति वे यथासद्धं,यथापसादनं जनो ।तत्थ यो च मङ्कु भवति,परेसं पानभोजने ।न सो दिवा वा रत्तिं वा,समाधिमधिगच्छति ॥
The people give according to their faith, according to their confidence. If you get upset over that, over others’ food and drink, you’ll not, by day or by night, become immersed in samādhi.
Yassa cetaṁ samucchinnaṁ,mūlaghaccaṁ samūhataṁ;Sa ve divā vā rattiṁ vā,samādhimadhigacchati.
यस्स चेतं समुच्छिन्नं,मूलघच्चं समूहतं ।स वे दिवा वा रत्तिं वा,समाधिमधिगच्छति ॥
Those who have cut that out, dug it up at the root, eradicated it, they will, by day or by night, become immersed in samādhi.
Natthi rāgasamo aggi,natthi dosasamo gaho;Natthi mohasamaṁ jālaṁ,natthi taṇhāsamā nadī.
नत्थि रागसमो अग्गि,नत्थि दोससमो गहो ।नत्थि मोहसमं जालं,नत्थि तण्हासमा नदी ॥
There is no fire like greed, no crime like hate, no net like delusion, no river like craving.
Sudassaṁ vajjamaññesaṁ,attano pana duddasaṁ;Paresaṁ hi so vajjāni,opunāti yathā bhusaṁ;Attano pana chādeti,kaliṁva kitavā saṭho.
सुदस्सं वज्जमञ्ञेसं,अत्तनो पन दुद्दसं ।परेसं हि सो वज्जानि,ओपुनाति यथा भुसं ।अत्तनो पन छादेति,कलिंव कितवा सठो ॥
It’s easy to see the faults of others, hard to see one’s own. For the faults of others are tossed high like hay, while one’s own are hidden, as a cheat hides a bad hand.
Paravajjānupassissa,niccaṁ ujjhānasaññino;Āsavā tassa vaḍḍhanti,ārā so āsavakkhayā.
परवज्जानुपस्सिस्स,निच्चं उज्झानसञ्ञिनो ।आसवा तस्स वड्ढन्ति,आरा सो आसवक्खया ॥
When you look for the flaws of others, always finding fault, your defilements only grow, you’re far from ending defilements.
Ākāseva padaṁ natthi,samaṇo natthi bāhire;Papañcābhiratā pajā,nippapañcā tathāgatā.
आकासेव पदं नत्थि,समणो नत्थि बाहिरे ।पपञ्चाभिरता पजा,निप्पपञ्चा तथागता ॥
In the atmosphere there is no track, there’s no true ascetic outside here. People enjoy proliferation, the Realized Ones are free of proliferation.
Ākāseva padaṁ natthi,samaṇo natthi bāhire;Saṅkhārā sassatā natthi,natthi buddhānamiñjitaṁ.Malavaggo aṭṭhārasamo.
आकासेव पदं नत्थि,समणो नत्थि बाहिरे ।सङ्खारा सस्सता नत्थि,नत्थि बुद्धानमिञ्जितं ॥मलवग्गो अट्ठारसमो ॥
In the atmosphere there is no track, there’s no true ascetic outside here. No conditions last forever, the Awakened Ones are not shaken.
According to verse 243, what is the worst stain of all?
In verse 239, the wise remove their stains gradually, like whom?
What does verse 236 urge a person to make of themselves?
Verse 240 compares one's own bad deeds to what?
According to verse 251, what has no equal as a river?
Which of these is NOT listed in verses 246 and 247 as uprooting oneself?
Your score: 0 / 6
Pali (Mahāsaṅgīti edition) and English by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0) from SuttaCentral. Hindi and Marathi meanings, summaries and stories: IndiaDigital, awaiting review by a Buddhist scholar.
Corrections from members of every tradition are welcome at support@indiadigital.org. Last checked: .